Swimming pool



M. MA1-RAI 3,005,207

SWIMMING POOL.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 24, 1961 Filed Jan. 15, 1959 Om wm Nm mm INVENTOR.Miklos Murai M. MATRAI SWIMMING POOL Oct. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed Jan. l5, 1959 FIG.4

FIG.5

INVENTOR. Miklos Matrei 3,005,207 l a SWG- POGL Miklos Matrei, 330 VineAve. NE., Warren, Ohio Filed Jan. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 786,547 t 9 Claims.(Cl. 4172) 'I'his invention relates to swimming pools, and moreparticularly to a specially constructedV swimming pool having means`for' producing simulated ocean waves therein.

Much of the enjoyment derived from ocean swimming is derived from thewave action of the ocean, whereas in ya conventional Swimmingpool, thewater is relatively fcalrn and offers no -enjoyment'whichmight otherwisebe derived if waves were present. it ris, therefore, of primary `concernin connection with thisinvention to provide V.aV swimming poolassemblage which has associated there- ,with means for producing a waveaction in the water .of the pool and which simulates, as accurately aspossiof ocean waves along the length of the pool from the Ydeep towardthe shallow end thereof. 1

A further` object of this invention is to provide a wave making devicefor swimming pools which incorporates a recess or chamber at one en d ofa poolhousing a swing- 'able paddle therewithin which oscillatesback'andforth within the chamber and thereby produces a wave action emanatingfrom the mouth of .the chamberwhich opens upon and into the pool, therebeing a jettyprojecting centrally outwardly from the chamber to controlthe wave action and prevent interference between the chamber openings onthe opposite sidesof the jetty.A

With the above and'other` objects in view, this invention consists inthe construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts`hereinafter' fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawingsand pointed' out in theclaims hereto appended, it being understood thatvarious changes in the form, proportions, and minor details ofconstruction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to withoutdeparting from the spirit or sacri` icing any of the advantages of theinvention. `In the drawings: Y a

FIG. 1 is al plan view of a swimming poolconstructed in accordance withthis invention and illustrating the 'extent and `shape of the jettyassociated therewith;

f *FIGQZ is a longitudinal section, taken through the pool shown in FIG.'1, and illustrating the sloped bottom wall and lthe `disposition of thewave making chamber as well asv the machinery associated with the paddleassem'bly;

1 l FIG. 3 `is` a plan view of the'wave making chamber -with `portionsthereof ybroken away and illustrating the paddle in three positionstherewithin; Y J FIG. 4 is an elevational view showing the wave makingchamber and the machinery chamber immediately thereabove; and-V g FIG.5'is a horizontal section, taken through the machinery chamber andshowing the mechanism for driving 'the paddle.

Referring at thiis-time more particularly to FlGS. 1 'and 2, `the`swimming pool will `be seen `to include op posite sid-e walls and 11,an end wall 13 and a wall Iassembly at the opposite end indicatedgenerally by the reference character 14. The bottom wall of the pool,

3,ilil5,207

Patented Get. 24, 1961 which slopes gently downwardly from the end wall13 toward the opposite end wall assembly 14 and there is a secondaryportion of the bottom wall 16 which slopes rather abruptly to the wall14 immediately adjacent such wall and for a purpose which will bepresently apparent.

The slope of the two sections 15 and 16 is such that `with the properamount of water contained within the pool, the water line willsubstantially intersect with the bottom wall portion 15 at its yupperextremity where the steps 17 commence `and which extend therefrom up tothetupper surface of the end wall 13. It is to be noted that the walls1t), 11, 13 and 14 are preferably of substantial width so as to providea walk-way completely around the pool.

y.at the deepest end of the pool, it is preferred that the greatestdepth is approximately six feet and the side walls 10 and 11 at this`point are preferably approximately two to two and one-half times thewater depth at this point. Hand rails 13 and 19 are employed along theinner faces and side walls 10 and 11 approximately at the water line andone or more entrance ladders 2t) and 21 may be provided at convenientpoints in the pool to gain access to the interior thereof.

The wall assemblage 14 has at least two hollow portions 22 and 23 whichform respectively a machinery chamber and a wave making chamber. Thelatter chamber 23 is in lthe form of a recess which opens directly intothe pool Vneath the water level and-the two openings of this chamber areprotected by grating or grills 25 and 26, see particularly FIG. 4.

An opstanding jetty 27 is provided to form the two openingsrfrom thewave making chamber 23 and this jetty projects forwardly from the innerwall 23 of the wall assembly 14- along the longitudinal center line ofthe pool and is connected to the abruptly sloped bottom Wall portion 16`and terminates within the area of this secondary sloped portion 16.Ascanbe -best seen in FIG.'3, the wave making charn- -ber or recess 23is of semi-circular shape and located within this recess is a paddle 30having at one end thereofa vertical shaft extension 31 and alignedtherewith a. depending shaft extension 32, see particularly PIG. 2, withthe extension 32 being received within a bearing 33 set into the bottomwall 34 of the chamber 23 and with therebeing a further bushing orbearing 35 journalling the upper shaft extension 31. This `latterbushing or bearing 35 is set into the wall`36 Vwhich formssimultaneously the bottom wall for the machinery chamber 23 and the topwall of the wave making chamber 23. The mechanism indicated generally bythe reference character 37 effects an oscillatory motion to the paddle30 so that the same moves between the full line position shown in FIG. 3to the dotted line position shown in that same figure and displaced fromthe full line position. FIG. 3 also shows a central position of thepaddle.

The mechanism for effecting the wave motion to the paddle is shown mostclearly in FIG. 5 and will be seen tol` include an electric motor 40having a drive shaft 41 upon which a gear 42 is mounted. A countershaft43 is mounted in bearings d'4 and 45 on the wall portion 36 and has agear 46 tlxed thereto which is in mesh with the gear 42. One extremityof the countershaft 43 carries a wheel 47 having an eccentricallylocated .pin 48 there,- on which is connected to a link or rod 4 9 bymeans of a swivel joint Si), the opposite extremity of this link being`connected by means of a swivel joint 51 to one end of a rack -bar 52.The rack bar 52 is mounted for reciprocatory motion by means` of a pairof spaced guides 53 and 54 and the rack bar includes the teeth 55meshing with a gear So'iixedto a vertical shaft 57 suitably journalled.

The upper extremity of the shaft 57 carries a sprocket wheel 58operating in conjunction with a chain 59 and a further sprocket wheel 60fixed to the upper end of the shaft extension 31 with the various gearratios between the rack 55 and gear `56 and the sprocket and chainconneotion such that the full 180 of travel or oscillation of the paddleis effected.

It is to be noted that the wave making chamber 23 is located at thedeepest end of the pool and that the bottom wall 34 thereof mergessmoothly with the secondary inclined bottom wall portion 16 of the poolitself. By virtue of this arrangement, a wave action is very effectivelyproduced, the water acted upon by the paddle 30 being discharged fromthe chamber 23 to impinge against the slope 16 which directs it upwardlytowards the surface of the pool and then the water passes over thejuncture between the two slopes and 16 and with the lesser slope 15permitting the wave action to progress longitudinally of the pool. Inother words, the initial slope 16 tends to direct the water towards thesurface in upward fashion to produce a good wave height and then thelonger more gentle slope 15 permits the waves formed to gain length andto thereby simulate very effectively a normal ocean wave action. In thismanner, waves of a considerable height may be produced.

As this invention may be embodied in several forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, the presentembodiment is therefore illustrative and not restrictive, and since thescope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, all changesthat fall the metes and bounds of the claims or that form theirfunctional as well as oonjointly cooperative equivalents are thereforeintended to be embraced by those claims.

I claim:

l. A swimming pool of the character described cornpris-ing confiningside and end walls, said pool having a bottom wall including first andsecond portions, said rst portion originating at one end wall andsloping downwardly gently therefrom toward the opposite end wall Aandsaid second portion origina-ting at the opposite end wall and slopingupwardly therefrom to merge with said primary portion and being slopedmore abruptly than such primary portion, a wave chamber formed in saidopposite end wall and opening into the pool and having a bottom mergingsmoothly with the origin of said second portion of the bottom wall, saidopening having a vertical dimension which is a major portion of theheight of the wave chamber and said opening extending a major portion ofthe length of said opposite end wall, means in said chamber fordisplacing water forcefully therefrom to impinge against said secondportion of the bottom wall and being deflected upwardly thereby towardthe surface of water in the pool whereby to propogate waves in the pool,said chamber being of semi-circular shape having its diametrical portioncontained within the plane of said opposite end wall and said meanscomprising a vertically disposed rectangular paddle having verticalpivot means at one end thereof pivotally mounting the paddle forrotation about the center of curvature of said chamber, said paddlebeing slightly less in size than the generatrix of said wave chamber,there being means for oscillating said paddle to sweep back and forthwithin said chamber, the last mentioned means comprising an electricmotor, a countershaft driven from said electric motor and having a wheeltixed thereon, a pin xed to said wheel eccentrically thereof, a rackslidably guided for reciprocatory motion and being connected to said pinby means of a link, andv a gear train from said rack to said pivot shaftof the paddle for oscillating the same through approximately 180 of arc.

2. AA wave-producing swimming pool assembly comprising a, pool havingconfining side and end walls and a sloping bottom wall, said bottom wallincluding a primary portion sloping downwardly from one end wal-1 towardthe opposite end wall and a secondary portion immediately adjacent saidopposite end wall which is sloped downwardly more abruptly than theprimary portion, a wave chamber at said opposite end of the pool openinginto the same at the level of said bottom wall, said opening having avertical dimension which is a major portion of the height of the wavechamber and said opening extending a major portion of the length of saidopposite end wall, and means in said chamber for forcefully displacingwater thereform for initial impingement against said secondary portionof the bottom wall, said wave chamber being of semi-circularconfiguration having its diametrical portion contained the plane of saidopposite end wall and said means comprising a generally rectangularpaddle having a vertical pivot at one end pivotally mounting the paddleabout the center of curvature of the semi-circular chamber, said paddlebeing slightly less in size than the generatrix of said wave chamber,there being means for oscillating said paddle to sweep back and forthwithin said chamber, the last mentioned means comprising an electricmotor, a countershaft driven from said electric motor and having a wheelfixed thereon, a pin xed to said wheel eccentrically thereof, a rackslidably guided for reciprocatory motion and being connected to said pinby means of a link, and a gear train from said' rack to said pivot shaftof the paddle `for oscillating the same through approximately of arc.

3. A wave-producing swimming pool comprising confining side and endwalls and a bottom wall, one end wall having a wave chamber formedtherein of semicircular contiguration having its diametncal portioncontained within the plane of said one end wall and opening into thebottom of the pool, said opening having a vertical dimension which is amajor portion of the height of the wave chamber and said openingextending a major portion of the length of said opposite end wall, arectangular paddle having a vertical pivot shaft at one end pivotallymounting the paddle for oscillation about the center of curvature ofsaid semi-circular chamber, said paddle being slightly less in size thanthe generatrix of said wave chamber, means mounted in saidv one end wallabove said chamber for driving said paddle in oscillatory fashionthrough an arc of approximately 180 within said chamber.

4. A wave-producing swimming pool comprising contining side and endwalls and a bottom wall, one end wall having a wave chamber formedtherein of semicircular conguration having its diametrical portioncontained within the plane of said one end wall and opening into thebottom of the pool, said opening having a vertical dimension which is amajor portion of the height of the wave chamber and said openingextending a major portion of the length of said opposite end wall, arectangular paddle having a vertical pivot shaft at one end pivotallymounting the paddle for oscillation about the center of curvature ofsaid semi-circular chamber, said paddle being slightly less in size thanthe generatrix of said wave chamber, means mounted in said one end wallabove said chamber for driving said paddle in oscillatory fashionthrough an arc of approximately 180 within said chamber, said means forOscillating said paddle back and forth within the chamber comprising anelectric motor, a countershaft driven from said electric motor andhaving a wheel fixed thereon, a pin fixed to said wheel eccentricallythereof, a rack slidably guided for reciprocatory motion and beingconnected to said pin by means of a link, and a gear train from saidrack to said pivot shaft of the paddle for oscillating the same throughapproximately 180 of arc.

5. A wave-producing swimming pool assembly comiprising a pool havingconfining side and end walls and a sloping bottom wall, said bottom wallincluding a primary portion sloping downwardly from one end wall towardthe opposite end wall and a. secondary portion immediately adjacent saidopposite end wall which is sloped downwardly more abruptly than theprimary portion, a wave chamber `at said opposite end of the poolopening into the same at the level of said bottom wall, and means insaid chamber for forcefully displacing water therefrom for initialimpingement against said secondary portion of the bottom Wall, said wavechamber being of semi-cylindrical configuration having its diamem'calportion contained within the plane of said opposite end wall, saidopening having a vertical dimension which is a major portion of theheight oft the wave chamber and said opening extending a major portionof the length of said opposite end wall, the lower wall of said wavechamber being substantially at the level of the pool bottom at theopposite end wall, said means comprising a generally rectangular paddlehaving a vertical pivot at one end pivotally mount-ing the paddle aboutthe center of curvature of the semi-cylindrical chamber, said paddlebeing slightly less in size than generatrix of said wave chamber, andmechanism for oscillating the paddle to sweep back and forth in saidchamber about said pivot.

6. A swimming pool of the character described comprising coniining sideand end walls, said pool having a bottom wall including first and secondportions, said iirst portion originating at one end wall and slopinggently downwardly therefrom toward the opposite end wall, said secondportion originating at the opposite end wall and sloping upwardlytherefrom to merge with said rst portion, said second portion having agreater slope than said first portion, said second portion extending aminor portion of the distance between said one end wall and saidopposite end wall, a wave chamber comprising a recess formed in saidopposite end wall, said recess extending substantially the width of thepool, said wave chamber having a bottom merging smoothly with theportion of said second portion of the bottom wall adjacent to saidopposite end wall, la jetty extending upwardly from said second portionof the bottom wall substantially above said recess, said jetty extendingfrom said opposite end wall along a central portion of the pool towardsaid one end wall and terminating within the area of said second wallportion to dene two openings `froml said wave chamber, and means withinsaid chamber for alternately displacing water forcefully from one or theother of said openings to impinge against said second portion of thelbottom wall to be deflected upwardly toward the Surface of the water inthe pool to propagate waves in the pool, said jetty preventinginterference between water entering or leaving said openings on oppositesides of the jetty.

7. A swimming pool as defined in claim 6, wherein the depth of said poolat the shallowest portion thereof is approximately one-half the depth ofthe pool at the deepest portion thereof.

8. A swimming pool as defined is claim 6, wherein the side walls are ofa height at the deepest portion of the pool approximately twice thedepth of the water in the pool.

9. A swimming pool as defined in claim 6, wherein said wave chamber issubstantially semi-cylindrical in configuration having its diametricalportion containedwithin the plane of said opposite end wall, said meansfor alternately displacing water forcefully from one or the other ofsaid openings comprising a generally reotangular paddle having avertical pivot at one end pivotally mounting the paddle about the centerof curvature of the semi-cylindrical chamber, said paddle being slightlyless -in size than the generatrix of said wave chamber, and mechanismfor oscillating the paddle to sweep back and Aforth in said chamberabout said pivot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS586,983 Wharton July 27, 1897 1,181,406 Potter May 2, 19-16 1,505,756Wagner Aug. 19, 1924 2,002,043 Price May 21, 1935 2,644,677 'Simon July7, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 732,583 Germany Mar. 5, 1943

